Optical disk tracking and seeking systems and specific track formats using servo areas

ABSTRACT

An optical disk recording system including a record medium is disclosed for providing an accurate track crossing count and an accurate track following signal. A first embodiment utilizes off-centered wobbled areas located in the headers of the record medium. The high frequency content of a first signal is combined with the low frequency content of a second signal, which is generated using the wobbled areas. In another embodiment, light-reflective discontinuities are provided in the header areas of the record medium. A qualifier and an AGC are utilized in providing a corrected track following signal. In still another embodiment, reflective discontinuities are located in the servo areas of the record medium. In such an embodiment, it is preferred that there is a fixed gain adjustment to a radial push-pull signal. With regard to each of the three aforesaid embodiments, a track following signal is corrected to compensate for aberrations that are caused by a shift of the light beam returned from the record medium surface. In yet another embodiment, the track following signal is generated using only the central aperture or wobble signal. In this embodiment, it is preferred that three pits be utilized in connection with the track following operation. The three pits are provided in two servo bytes of information located in the servo areas. Two of the three pits are wobble pits and the third pit is used in clocking.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 06/760,450, filed Jul.30, 1985, now abandoned.

This invention relates to systems for maintaining read/write or readbeams on the center of a track in which optically readable informationis, or is to be, recorded or erased; and more particularly to suchsystems where the tracking information for centering and counting tracksis made present in the record medium.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Several systems exist to center a radiation beam's incident spots oninformation track centers, but these other systems have severallimitations, and for commercially feasible systems which provide opticalrecording densities on the order of 1000M bytes to a 30 cm disk, ahighly accurate system must be deviced.

In the preferred form of this invention, a single beam is directed at anangle to the disk or recording medium surface, and a detector receivesthe reflected beam which has been modulated by the disk surface. Parsingthe signal generated by the detector means yields accurate informationconcerning the location of the beam relative to the track center andconcerning the data in the track. In another "seek" mode, the number oftracks crossed can be parsed from the same signal.

The concepts disclosed herein may be applied to the use of a separatebeam for writing, multiple detector beams, or splitting the reflectedbeam between a multiplicity of detectors, provided that the formatlimitations on the configuration of track sector headers on therecording medium surface are adhered to and/or that such formatlimitations are used in accord with the methods described for trackfollowing or track counting.

The preferred embodiments employ a reflective media surface, physicallyresponsive to radiation (of laser light for these embodiments). However,the invention can apply to various forms of media, including reflectiveand transmissive, and physically or chemically radiation responsivemedia so long as the novel and useful structure described herein isemployed.

Generally, as is the case in the preferred embodiments described herein,disk media is "mastered," created with data tracks (grooves), non-dataareas (generally lands surrounding the grooves) and servo or adjustmentareas (called headers, situate at spaced locations in and about thecenterline of the grooves). These are all in the information layer orplane of the disk. Disk media may be "mastered" with data too, andcompletely blank disk media may at some future date be sold for use inoptical drives which do the mastering themselves, using the sameequipment which reads and writes data.

The inventive concepts described herein may apply to each of these mediaforms, but in the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments only oneform is described and the information bearing layer's detectablemodulations due to writing are therein referred to as "pits" althoughthese pits may be bumps or other manifestations when a different mediais employed.

One existing type of system for centering a beam of radiation in a trackis shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,334 which provides for the dithering orwobbling of the beam (or related beam) within or across the width of thetrack as the track passes. An error signal is produced using theincrease in the reflected beam's average intensity (which increases asthe beam gets farther off-center), and the fact that the reflectedbeam's intensity variation produces a phase angle with the dither signalon only one side of the track. The amount of increased intensityreflects the magnitude of the off-center error and the direction of theoff-center error is found in the existence or nonexistence of the phaseangle between the dither signal and the reflected intensity variationsignal. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,236,105 and 4,234,837 describe a dither systemwhich uses "switching lines" to signal the servo mechanism to changedirection. Dithering, or active wobbling, has inherent design problemshowever, which prevent its easy implementation in write/read systems.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,850, the tracking error signal is generated bythe use of three read beams' spots in which the outer two spots'reflections gain or lose intensity when they come in contact with theinformation pits or hills of adjacent tracks. This signal is adifferential signal generated by paired photodetectors which read theseouter reflected beams, the absolute value of the difference showing themagnitude of the error and the fact of a positive or negative differenceindicating the direction of the error.

Other systems employ the diffraction of light by track edges themselvesto generate a track following error signal called a push-pull signaldescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,232,337; 4,209,804 and 4,100,557.Difficulties with these systems are discussed in more detail below butbasically inaccuracies in beam alignment cause undiscoverable flaws inthe push-pull signal, making it an inaccurate measure of tracking.

Other systems use an error signal generated by the disk track's surfacestructure wobbling with respect to the line of information pits embeddedin the center of the track. This error signal may be generated by thesinusoidal variations caused by a wobbling groove in which the data pitslie on a straight path as described by U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,083 (at thetop of column 8), or by a series of off-center prewritten data pitsspaced continuously around the track on either side of the data pathcenter line at predetermined intervals as in Netherland's Pat. Nos.8,000,121; 8,000,122; 8,103,117 and 8,102,621. In using continuous"passive" wobbling techniques such as these, while they do eliminate theproblems associated with active wobble or dithering techniques, theretrieval or parsing-out of the tracking signal (given at the wobblefrequency) may be difficult, primarily because the relevant beam spotmust first be in track to get a phase lock onto the wobble frequency,and also because of poor signal to noise ratios. In those where manypits are required for timing or track following, rather than wobblingthe groove itself, as is required by U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,981, the amountof disk space available for data may be reduced because data cannot bewritten in the groove adjacent to such wobbled pits. The onlyabbreviated wobble pit pattern found in the extant art was in U.S. Pat.No. 4,428,069 which did not provide a means for correcting itsinaccuracies nor does it, in any way, indicate use of a push-pull signalnor many of the improvements found herein. (The use of wobbled pits inheaders for centering has been found in the magnetic recording art too,see for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,750).

One system described a corrected error signal; U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,555.In that patent a "traverse" signal which may roughly correspond to the"central aperture signal" herein is used with a counter and RAM tocorrect the tracking error signal at a rate of one time per diskrotation, whereas this invention corrects the tracking error signalcontinuously at each header. Even assuming that the "traverse" signal isa central aperture signal, there is no indication of how it is derived.In the present application, the limitations are taught and claimed whichprovide for a correcting signal to be generated in the central aperturesignal, as well as how to decode the signal to get the correctedtracking information.

Another system for correcting a tracking signal is described in Europeanpatent application No. EP0099576A2. That system uses a discontinuity orflat mirror area, and the signal derived therefrom to correct thepush-pull signal generated by a track groove. It does not address theproblems with signal strength variation caused by written data andreflected light level variations. Neither does it address how to handleerrors in location of the blank or "mirror" areas, nor defects aroundsuch "mirror" areas.

It should be noted that the diffraction patterns generated by a beamwandering to one side or the other of a track or groove (found in thelow frequency push-pull signal) have proven to be unreliable formeasuring track following when uncorrected. This is due to shifts in theposition of the reflected beam relative to the center of thephotodetecting means and the inability to detect what caused the shift.These shifts may be caused by instability in the optics, mechanicaldisplacements, or laser beam intensity distribution itself. Thisinvention solves these problems because the track following signal is acombination of the push-pull signal and a correction signal. In bothembodiments the correction signal is derived from the return beammodulated by the header structure of the information track beingfollowed.

One branch of embodiments of the present invention uses a short patternof wobbled or off-center-line pits or holes combined with the push-pullsignal to produce a corrected tracking error signal. The modulation dueto the off-center-line pits is found in the central aperture signal,which is derived from the full reflected beam. It also uses thepush-pull signal to count track crossings.

The second branch of embodiments of this invention uses thediscontinuities in the groove of a track sector header in order tocorrect the push-pull signal rather than the wobbled pits justmentioned. In this embodiment too, the counting of the changes in thepush-pull signal which occur due to the crossing of the beam spot overeach track may also be employed to determine relative track address.However, where the invention employs continuous grooves (as in the firstmentioned embodiment branch if used without discontinuities) there is notheoretical limitation to track crossing (or seek) speed, whereas thereare seek speed limits beyond which an accurate track count may not bepossible where tracks are supplied with discontinuities.

A decision relation to which embodiment to use may depend on variousconsiderations including those just described, and extrinsics, such asthe cost to produce the system. Of course, the sets of electronicsdescribed which decode either the first or the second media embodimentmay be included in one system which could work with either of the twobasic high data density media structures described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Basically, the present invention provides for formatted surfaces on arecording disk medium so arranged and disposed that a beam reflectedfrom this surface can be employed to generate and correct a trackfollowing signal and also to generate track counting signals. It alsoprovides a method to generate these signals. These signals can be usedto direct servo mechanisms to dynamically adjust and readjustpositioning of the beam relative to the information track center.

In some of the preferred embodiments, a clock signal is provided byreflections from a sine wave floor in the data track groove. In thoseembodiments employing servo areas within sectors, a timing pit is usedfor clocking. Pits representing data may be written in the center of thetrack groove and pits to provide servo information may be written"wobbled" to each side or on the center line in the header areas. Theseservo pits are written in a known format (or pattern) and receipt ofthat format is monitored. The track-following correction given by thepush-pull signal is not used to the extent it does not conform to theexpected pattern. In the second branch of embodiments, discontinuitiesin the header-area are used to correct the track following signal andtwo distinct patterns are taught which may be used for different disksizes or applications.

In the invention, convenient track counting signals are found in thesinewave type changes in push-pull signal as a track seeking operationmoves the radiation beam radially over the disk surface.

The push-pull signal is described in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,232,337;4,209,804 and 4,100,557 cited above, but basically it is a measure ofthe different strengths on two sides of the center of the reflectedbeam. These different strengths are due to changes in the diffractionpatterns in the reflected beam. These changes depend on the transverselocation of the beam spot relative to the track center line. Thisdiffraction pattern is due to the differences in phase between thatportion of the beam which is reflected from a land on the side of atrack and that portion which is reflected from the track floor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a representation of the top view of the disk recording mediumdepicting the track grooves and track lands greatly exaggerated in size.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the surface of the recording medium,taken at line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the surface of the recording medium takenat line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4A schematically illustrates header areas with a first enlargedarea illustrating the use of wobbled pits and a second enlarged areaillustrating the use of light-reflective discontinuities.

FIGS. 4B, 4D, 4E and 4F show different header patterns. FIG. 4C depictsthe location of the headers of FIGS. 4B, 4D, 4E and 4F vis-a-vis dataareas on a typical track.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram depicting a laser light path to thesurface of recording medium and reflected therefrom in a typicalstructure employing this invention.

FIG. 6 represents the diffracted light spots which are generated by thereflected and diffracted beam returning from the surface of therecording medium as they strike the quad detector or split diodephotodetector.

FIG. 7A depicts the light spot as it appears on the photodetector in thepath of the reflected light beam.

FIG. 7B depicts the position of the light spot on the surface of therecording medium which produces the diffraction pattern of FIG. 7A.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram depicting logical circuitry which may be usedto parse the photodetector signals in one preferred embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram depicting logical circuitry which may be usedto parse photodetector signals in another preferred embodiment.

FIG. 10A depicts adjacent track sector header areas in an area of therecord medium.

FIGS. 10B, 10C, 10D, and 10E are highly schematic timing diagrams of atriangular representation of what in reality should be a sinewavepush-pull signal generated by the beam spot track crossings of FIG. 10A.

FIGS. 11A and 11B depict track embodiments using discontinuities and thepush-pull signal generated thereby, respectively.

FIG. 12 is a circuit diagram which depicts an approach to the AGCfunction for use of discontinuities in header areas only.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating circuitry which may be used toparse photodetector signals in still another preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a typical recording disk 10, employing so-called "ablative"media, a segment of which is enlarged to show detail. As discussedpreviously, this is only representative media and various types may beemployed to take advantage of the concepts disclosed herein. Theenlargement shows a data pit 30 and a servo pit 40 situated as theywould appear in tracks 13 and 15 respectively. A discontinuity 39 isshown in track 13 also. The informational or data tracks, before beingwritten are known as pre-grooves. Between each track on the informationsurface or layer of the recording medium, is a land, depicted in FIG. 1as, for example, land 14 between tracks 13 and 15. Information tracksmay be arranged in a concentric or spiral pattern over the informationplane of the recording medium 10. (It is possible that the tracks mightbe oriented in a parallel series on a slidable planar medium or possiblyon a tape, but currently such media are not in use for radiation baseddata storage.)

Generally, pits 30 and 40 are representative of the pits to be writtenon the surface of the recording medium of the preferred embodiments."Pits" may vary in nature as required by the particular media employed.Minimally, it is required that there be a "change", modulation, ortransformation which allows, alters or disallows the transmission orreflection of an incident radiation beam from or through the media. Inother words, the manifestation of a modulation (which is a pit in thispatent), whatever the media, must affect the incident radiation beamdifferently than does the rest of the media's information layer and thisdifference must be detectable. Note that in various media, theinformation layer may be at the surface or at some plane within thedisk. The form of the data tracks and non-data areas may vary instructure too, to accommodate other media, without deviating from theteachings of this invention. In short, this invention may be used withnumerous media forms.

In the preferred embodiments, the pits are nonreflective, and the diskat every other point in the information plane is optically reflective.The pits thus create a modulation in the resultant signal level when thebeam spot passes over them.

FIG. 2, a section view of the enlarged section of information layer 19in FIG. 1, shows pits written into the surface of the recording mediumand the lands and tracks in the preferred embodiments. The informationlayer 19 is seen covered by a clear photopolymer lacquer layer 18. Abovelayer 18 in the preferred embodiments may be a substantially clearsubstrate layer 18a such as glass, for structural strength, throughwhich the laser or other radiation may easily pass. Data pit 30 maytypically be approximately 0.9 micrometers wide and, written properly inthe center line of the track, it extends beyond both edges of the track13. Likewise, wobble pit 40 partially obliterates land 6 and is of thesame order of magnitude in size as data pit 30. Lands such as lands 12and 14 are approximately 1 micrometer wide, tracks are approximately 0.6micrometers wide. For the preferred embodiments, the information layer19 (the ablative surface) is a reflective tellurium or rhodium layerwhich is deposited on the entire surface of the recording mediumstructure and it ablates to form a hole or a pit (such as data pit 30)where a radiation or laser beam of appropriate power strikes therecording surface, layer 19, of the media. The average depth of thetrack groove, for example track 11, is equal to one-eighth of the wavelength of the radiation beam. This depth is known to generate, bycausing diffraction of the beam, the most pronounced "push-pull" signal.The use of this push-pull signal to generate track following informationis well-known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,804.

A push-pull signal with higher frequency content is generated duringseeking (track crossing) because of the rapid push-pull signal change asthe beam moves radially over a number of tracks. A sine wave signal isthus created where each cycle indicates one track crossing. Data pitswritten by the user may affect the push-pull signal quality at higherfrequencies, and may prohibit proper track counting at higher seekvelocities. This can be partially avoided by selecting a proper datamodulation code with a so-called "D.C. free" frequency spectrum as, forexample, that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,714.

For track following, the push-pull signal's low frequency part may notbe accurate. Abberations in the validity of the push-pull signal arecaused by a shift of the beam returned from the disk surface withrespect to the center line of the photodetector. These beam shifts maybe caused by optomechanical instability, laser pointing instability,tilt of the disk itself, displacements of the actuator, and intensityshifts in the laser beam distribution and perhaps other causes.

In data read/write systems used with this invention, an optical systemsuch as that depicted in FIG. 5 is likely to be employed. A laser 50generates a beam 52 which is directed toward a generic optical path 57,routed by polarizing beam splitter 51 through quarterwave plate 4,through the objective lens 55 so that beam 52 is reflected and modulatedby disk 10 at beam spot 70 and reflected back into objective lens 55thereby becoming reflected beam 53 which follows a different opticalpath through quarterwave plate 4 and polarizing beam splitter 51 to itsimpingement on quad detector 80. The entire generic optical pathway 57may be movable radially with respect to the disk in response to anactuator-servo means 56.

FIG. 6 depicts beam 52 being reflected from track 11 at beam spot 70 toform reflected beam 53. The outline of a quad photodetector 80 is shownin the far field of the reflected beam 53, and positioned so as toreceive a zeroth order diffraction area 53' and first order diffractionareas 53" and 53'" which create interference patterns on quad detector80. The interference pattern drawn in FIG. 6 is representative of aproperly aligned and centered beam 52. The evenness of destructiveinterference fringes 72 and 73 causes equal signals to be generated byeach side of quad detector 80.

An off-track interference pattern is depicted in FIG. 7A. Zeroth orderbeam spot 71 is still located centrally on the quad detector 80 becausereflected beam 53 is directed that way. An interference between thezeroth order beam 53 and the plus first order diffractin area 53" isshown in the interference spot 72, while the destructive interferencebetween the zeroth and minus first order diffracted beams is seen inarea 74, and therefore, a weaker resultant signal is found on that sideof the quad detector 80. FIG. 7B depicts the position of beam spot 70which, in a properly aligned system, would create the interferencepattern in FIG. 7A on quad detector 80, relative to track 11.

The push-pull tracking error signal is the difference between the signalstrength generated by one side of the quad detector and that generatedby the other. The direction and the magnitude of the error is given bythe sign and value of the difference between the signals.

Where the reflected beam and its diffraction and interference patternsare not correctly aligned with the photodetector diode (quad detector80), or were the beam intensity is not properly distributed across theentire spot 70, it can be easily understood that false tracking errorsignals will be generated using an uncorrected push-pull signal reliantmethod. This invention provides means to self-correct these errors in acontinuous and automatic fashion with several media configurations.

Variations in the format of the media which may be employed to correcttrack following signals will next be described, then descriptions of howthese are employed by the preferred embodiments will follow.

In general, the relevant variations occur in sector header areas, theinformation track being divided into these headers and associatedadjacent data bearing sectors.

A typical sector header is illustrated in FIG. 4A. The wobbledoff-center pits provide an expected pattern which produces an errorsignal in the following way. The presence of a pattern of off-centerpits in a certain format is expected and confirmed by reading them. Thisconfirmation is critical when a small number of headers is used per unitof track length.

Where the signal which depicts the read pattern is missing the pitsexpected on one side only, or where the signal is weaker when theexpected pattern on one side is passed and confirmed than when theexpected pattern on the other side is passed and confirmed, it isapparent that the beam spot is following more to the side of the trackwith the stronger signal.

Discontinuities in the track provide for a similar function in adissimilar way. Their presence gives a signal which directly reflectsthe beam misalignment or anomoly in the push-pull signal, because thediscontinuity is a flat reflective surface. Accordingly the electronicsto incorporate this information into the track following servo signalmust be different than those employing the wobbled pit patternssuggested above. Also there are differences in the systems required touse the several discontinuity patterns described, the main differencesbeing between those where the discontinuities are only in the headersand those where the discontinuities are present in special servo bytesin the data area.

FIG. 4A shows two tracks 11 and 13 a segment of each of whichillustrates the two embodiments just described which have servoinformation (modulations) in the header only. Track 13 has the wobbledpits 29, and track 11 the discontinuities 41. The enlarged segmentsdepict header 24 from track 13 and header 44 from track 11. The use ofsynchronization pits 25 and 45, qualifier pits 26 and 46 and addresspits 27 and 47 are enhancements described in detail below. It should benoted that track 13 may be discontinuous at the point 28 and where eachwobbled pit segment exists without affecting the ability to derive acorrected tracking signal from such a header. A two pit to each sidepattern as shown will work as will any wobbled pattern which isrecognizable, balanced and known or expected will work.

If the spot is moving along the track centerline, the average sum signalwill be equal when passing the left and right wobbled pit locations. Ifthe loss is greater during the passing of the right side then it isclear that the spot is centered toward the right of the trackcenterline.

More detail regarding the track design in preferred embodiments can beseen in FIG. 3, depicting a section down the center of a representativetrack. The sinewave floor 21 of the track extends along the entirelength of the track and the size and orientation of this floor can beunderstood by noting that the point 22 represents a peak and the point23 represents the next peak. The use of a clocking sinewave floor togenerate synchronization information, so that the electronics "know" atwhat rate to expect data, is well-known in the art of optical diskstorage.

The choice of whether to use an embodiment which employs a discontinuoustrack or one in which a track is continuous, or how many wobbled pits toemploy to each side of the track, will be based on many factorsincluding the user's ability to create such patterns on the recordingmedia. In embodiments using discontinuities to correct the push-pulltracking signal, the wobble pits may be eliminated altogether, and thecorrective signal may then be generated by "zeroing", that is, findingand applying the off-center value as the beam spot 70 passes over thediscontinuities. These discontinuities are plain reflective surfaces setin the track sector headers, also called blank areas. In all embodimentssuch as those represented by FIG. 4A, track sector headers are writtenat a predetermined interval from each other along the length of eachtrack. The known distance, or number of sinewave clock peaks betweeneach sector header location, together with the configuration of, andpattern in, each sector header provides the demodulation means with theability to parse or separate out, the push-pull signal, a correctivesignal, a track counting signal and a data signal as well as the clocksignal from the tracks on the disk surface. This invention comprehendsembodiments which do not use sine-wave clock floors in track grooves andthese will be explained later.

To illustrate track crossing count determination, reference is made toFIG. 10A, in which a wobble pattern using two wobble pits 31 and 32, aspacer 33 and two wobble pits 34 and 35 on the other side of track 13continued over the course of three track sector headers on three tracks.The wobbling pattern for this is shown to vary the timing patterns ofFIGS. 10B, 10C, 10D and 10E as centered lines A, B, C, and D of the pathof the reading spot cross the edges of tracks when in track crossing(seek) mode. It can be easily seen that counting from peak to peak ofthe resultant signal, or any one period measure of the signal, showsthat the spot has crossed from one track to the next.

The pattern of two pair of double wobble spots on each side with empty(nonwritten) track segments between them in a left, space, right, space,left, space, right, space sequence comprises one successful pattern.Track crossing count will not be missed by the push-pull signal withsuch a sequence even at a track crossing speed which allows a track tobe crossed radially at the longitudinal length of four timing spots. (Acompletely continuous track with the same pattern of wobbling willeliminate even this restriction on track crossing speed.) Assuming theimplementation of FIGS. 10A and 10B to illustrate track crossing countgenerally, note that actual peak 3 of FIG. 10B occurs at the crossing ofline A of FIG. 10A with the location 5, and also note that trough 2 isfound at the crossing of line A with the left edge location 6 of track15. A similar function is observed for lines B, C and D in FIGS. 10C,10D and 10E, respectively. The dotted lines of FIGS. 10B-10E representthe signal generated by the same crossing of lines A, B, C and D takenover tracks without such discontinuities. Thus, in either case, as eachcenter line crosses one track, one sinewave signal is generated, andcounting the cycles of these sinewaves gives the number of trackscrossed. Remember that the timing diagrams are triangularized forclarity and that the push-pull signal would appear to be more sine wavelike in reality.

FIGS. 11A and 11B are referenced here to illustrate the nature of D.C.or low frequency push-pull signal variance used for track following.Line E of FIG. 11B is the push-pull signal which would be derived froman accurately aligned system in using a beam spot whose center travelsalong line e of FIG. 11A. FIG. 11A shows an example configuration ofthree radially adjacent header areas 201, 202 and 203 with qualifierpits 204, address pits 205, discontinuities 206 and synchronization pits207 and data areas 208 located in accordance with the teachings herein.

In all embodiments using discontinuities, it can be easily seen (in theuse of refective media) that the reflection of a beam from thediscontinuity will be of a greater intensity than its reflection duringthe time when the beam spot is over the grooved areas, and greater stillthan the intensity of the reflection from the written areas.

Because of this fact, an automatic gain control is required tocompensate for the resultant variance in signal intensity so that thesignals from the three described areas can be mixed.

To illustrate, an adaptation of a discontinuity based embodiment whichrelies on numerous headers is described with reference to FIGS. 4B, 4C,4D, 4E and 4F. The embodiment shown in these figures eliminates the needfor a gain control to compensate for the presence of data becauseemploying it eliminates the need to use the push-pull signal generatedover the data areas for part of the tracking signal.

Specifically, the blank area or discontinuity 314 is seen at positions 2through 11 of the second servo byte 311. The clear indication of itstermination is given by the pit written at position 12 as seen in theSum Signal 299 of FIG. 4B. The sum signal also shows the differencebetween the reflectivity of the pregrooved area at position 1 andposition 2 (the first position of full blank area). From thisobservation, it is clear that the a measure of the D.C. offset in thesum signal would be lost amidst the data signal without continuousautomatic gain control. Where only the signal generated by the unwrittenpre-groove area and the blank (or discontinuity) are used for tracking,the difference in gain between the signals of these two areas will besubstantially constant.

As is known in the art, use of high read power levels may damage thedata areas. The blank area (discontinuity) signal is used to check readpower levels and the laser level is adjusted downwardly if it is toohigh, thus a secondary gain control circuit is established.

This invention teaches that a data area need not be used to generate thepush-pull signal and how adequate tracking can still be accomplishedwithout such use, but it also demonstrates that continuous push-pullsignal can be used for tracking with correction and describes means todo so.

While providing for simplified gain control, the formats suggested inthe FIGS. 4(B-F) affect the systems employing them in a number of waysand there are a number of other points which should be considered forthose formats. First, a complete explanation of the formats themselvesshould be had, starting with an overview of FIG. 4C. Shown in thisfigure is a segment of a data area in one of the track sectors which maybe considered the equivalent to the track sectors of FIG. 4A. Theheaders areas are assumed to contain normal track address, sector andsynchronization information. Each sector data area, usually following asector header area, would be divided up into a number of segments, suchas segment 1 and segment 2, each shown with two servo bytes 319 at thehead of each segment. If each segment is 16 bytes long then the last 14bytes of such segment would be considered available for user data. Thesize of the segment chosen will depend on a number of factors includingthe size of the sector, the size of the modulation code used for writingdata, and the amount of servo byte pair repetitions required so thatthere can be enough sampling of the servo areas per unit of time so thatthe phase lag of the servo responses is not great enough to impair servofunction. Another factor in determining the amount of servo byte arearequired is the need to write user data or have user data spaceavailable.

This servo byte format also eliminates the need for a sine-wave floor inthe user data areas and groove areas of the track for clocking. However,if the method of clocking described below is employed then it isadvisable to keep these servo bytes in line from track to adjacenttrack. Doing so will enable a system employing such media to haveaccurate clocking during track seeking as well as during trackfollowing.

A simple configuration of the use of the blank area or discontinuity inservo bytes which are not in the header areas may be described withreference to FIG. 4B.

Note first that each "byte" (including servo byte 310 and servo byte311) of the servo area is divided into 15 spaces. This is representativeof one data modulation code in which data can only be written in acertain number of the 15 spaces available for holes for each byte, i.e.8 bits of information. Note also that the servo type modulation in theservo bytes cannot be one of the 16 recognizable modulations forms underwhatever modulation code is used. This unique signal can be used as aqualifier signal and the update which normally occurs at the passing ofeach pair of servo bytes for all sampled signals (including for instanceclocking, focusing, tracking, the level of the sum signal, and the laser"read" level) can be disabled by this qualifier signal. Since a pit isnot allowed in the modulation code used in this example at position 4 ofthe servo byte 310, illustrated in FIG. 4B, a pre-groove 315 after thepit 317 and the blank area 314 after the pre-groove 315 are sampled toset the levels of the sample signals just mentioned. Detection of thepit 316 at position 12 of the second servo byte 311 updates the clockthus allowing the clock to be constantly resynchronized at theoccurrence of every pair of servo bytes in a data area. Note that theclocking hole at position 12 is placed directly after the blank area (ordiscontinuity) in order to avoid transients in the read signal whichmight generate a false trigger in the clocking circuit. This allows forvery exact synchronization, without the use of the sine-wave clockingfloor utilized in the embodiments whose only servo area is in the headerareas.

There are several advantages to not using a sine-wave clocking floor.Because this invention does not use a sine-wave clocking floor, userdata holes do not destroy any part of the clock and therefore bitdensity is not limited by that type of destruction. Therefore, unevenlydistributed user data holes do not introduce any signal components whichmight create clock pull. Further, the bit density limitation imposed onthe user data by the sine-wave clock floor frequency does not exist. Thesine-wave clock floor may be written at, or near, the limits of opticaldisk drive resolution capabilities, thus increasing bit frequency maymake it difficult to resolve the clock in such systems. The sampledservo byte does not have this problem. Nor does the user data modulationcode have to provide a zero signal power content in the frequencyspectrum at the clock frequency. Nor need any compromise be struckbetween the amplitude of the clocking sine wave in the pre-groove anddirect read during write detection.

In the use of the servo byte embodiment and the design of the format forthese servo bytes, other considerations may still be pointed out withreference to FIG. 4B. Note that the two pits used must be chosen to bein locations such that user data holes which are written adjacent to theservo byte cannot introduce clock pull. It is felt that three freepositions in a fifteen position code will provide enough free space toeliminate any potential for clock pull. Since sampling of most signalsis done in the blank area, it must be made of sufficient length to allowfor accurate detection yet it must also be short enough not to interferewith reliable track counting as was explained above with reference toFIG. 10A.

Also, the free pre-groove area in the first servo byte must be chosenlong enough to register the D.C. offset in the push-pull signal sincewith the servo byte embodiments, no other area besides the blank area isused for generating a D.C. offset. Note however, that where the"qualifying" pattern of the servo byte area is not properly detected,and enough track length has gone by so that proper track centering maybe lost, the uncorrected, continuous push-pull signal might betemporarily employed for tracking. The same use of uncorrected push-pullsignal would be employed with the header located discontinuity. However,where there are far fewer discontinuities to check the push-pull signalthis use of an uncorrected signal is critical. Consequently, trackingmay be lost completely if qualifier modulations are not employed.

FIG. 4D and FIG. 4E illustrate variations of the pattern described inFIG. 4B which use wobbled pits 318 as a part of the qualifier signal andwhich may also be used for track following as is described above withreference to wobbled pits in header areas. However in these embodiments,clocking would be accomplished in the manner described with reference toFIG. 4B and the blank area may be used for track correcting and samplingof sampled signals (focusing, laser level, variation in intensity of thefour quads, and quad sum level). FIG. 4E may be written with a simple,single laser mastering machine as can the formats of FIG. 4B and 4F.With reference FIGS. 4(D-F), by virtue of there being so many servobytes per unit track length, a tracking signal may be entirely derivedby the use of the wobble signal. FIG. 4F illustrates a two servo byteformat which might be used if track counting at high speeds is notrequired.

For the various format types described, differing circuitry must beemployed to parse the relevant signals from the detector.

Where the invention employs wobbled or off-center pits, track followingsignals are created generally, with reference to FIG. 8, as follows:

A positive voltage is applied across resistor R1 to both cathodes of thedetector 80.

Detector 80 is shown here as a split photo diode or pair of incidentradiation detectors because this is the minimum configuration necessaryfor the function of such a detector with this invention. (Ordinarily, aquad detector is used to optimize focusing ability and for other reasonsunrelated to this invention. Merely tying the two inputs and two outputsof both the left and of the right sides of the quad together would yieldthe equivalent to what is shown here.)

The sum of the modulations detected by detector 80 appears at the inputto amplifier 108, whose output is the "central aperture" signal, areflection of the overall modulation in the beam returned from themedia. Directing this signal through circuit 111 which has phase lockedloop and associated data demodulating logic brings the incoming signalinto phase with the system clock. The data signal and timingconfirmation signals will appear on line 97. Timing logic 102 will passthe part of the, now, in phase central aperture signal occurring duringa sector header to Qualifier 101. Timing logic 102 checks apredetermined pattern in phase with Circuit 111. Therefore, the timinglogic 102 could simply signal the Qualifier 101 on line 102a during asector header and Qualifier 101 could just read that part of signalwhich it could receive directly from line 97 during such a sectorheader. The preferred embodiment, however, passes the signal from line97a through Timing 102 to the Qualifier 101 by line 102a during suchsector headers. Either method would work. Qualifier 101 is enabledduring a nonseeking mode, i.e. track following condition, by line 103.When enabled it detects whether the qualifier code embedded in thesector header (described above; Refer to FIGS. 4A, 11A) matches what isexpected and, only if so, it enables Sample and Hold gate 90 to pass thewobble signal to low pass filter 99.

The central aperture signal from amplifier 108 is also supplied to rightand left peak detectors 84 and 85, respectively. These peak detectorlogic circuits are enabled by the timing logic 102 which enables leftpeak detector 85 through input 88, but only during a left window (time aleft wobble signal would be present) and also enables right peakdetector 84 by line 86 when a right window is present. Outputs of thesepeak detectors are supplied to differential amplifier 89 whose output issupplied to Sample and Hold gate 90, and allowed to pass as the "wobblesignal" when "qualified" as explained in the previous paragraph. Thiswobble signal corrects the push-pull signal.

To find the push-pull signal, the anodes of detector 80 are tied to theinputs of a differential amplifier 94, whose output at line 95 is thepush-pull signal. High pass filter 109 and low-pass filter 99 have thesame "corner" (also called "break") frequencies thus allowing thecomponents of the push-pull and wobble signals to merge, at that cornerfrequency. That is, the push-pull signal generated at the output of thedifferential amplifier 94, after being filtered by the high pass filter109, is combined with a wobble signal, after the wobble, signal isfiltered by means of the low pass filter 99. This combined or resultantsignal is a corrected tracking signal. This signal is then amplified byamplifier 91 and supplied to track following logic 117 and servo controllogic 115 to cause servo mechanisms 150 to accurately follow the track.Mixing of the signals may be achieved via direct the direct connectionof the output of the low pass 99 with line 109a (not shown) or bybringing line 99b and 109a directly to amplifier 91 as shown.

When seek status line 103 disables this Qualifier 101, only thepush-pull signal passes to amplifier 91, providing the sinewavepush-pull signal (FIGS. 10 A-10E) used by track counting logic 116.

Qualifier 101 may be eliminated from the circuit of FIG. 8 altogether ifone is willing to sacrifice the redundancy it provides. A Sample andHold gate, enabled on the occurrence of a header indicated by timinglogic 102 during a non-seek status indicated by line 103, could act as asubstitute. Use of a Qualifier is preferred. It enables the system toshut down focusing, laser level and other adjustment in the event of amisreading as previously explained with reference to FIG. 4A et seq.

To employ the signals generated by discontinuities in the track headersfor the corrected tracking signal, circuitry such as that described inFIG. 9 should be employed. In FIG. 9, quad photodetector 80 isrepresented by a split panel, but the same general considerations as toits form apply to this circuit as they do to detector 80 of FIG. 8. Inthe circuit of FIG. 13 the push-pull signal is also generated by adifferential amplifier 60, each of the two inputs to this amplifierbeing responsive to a signal generated by either half of detector 80.

Lines 64 and 65 may be amplified jointly by amplifier 61 to produce anamplified sum signal on line 66 representative of the central aperturesignal. This central aperture signal is supplied to synchronization anddata demodulation circuitry 67 which, in turn, enables (via line 1)Sample and Hold gate 1 (68) on the occurrence of, and for approximatelythe duration of, each discontinuity. Synchronization and datademodulation circuitry 67 anticipates the passage of a discontinuity bylooking at the number of clock pulses between headers, as well assynchronization information which may be contained at the beginning of atrack sector header as shown in FIG. 11A, for example. Synchronizationand demodulation circuitry 67, may pass on line 3 either the segment ofthe signal received by it which it interprets as a qualifier signal orsome larger portion of the synchronized signal to the Qualifier 69 for acomparison. Qualifier 69 will not disable the output of AND gate 75unless there is a mismatch between the qualifier signal received fromcircuit 67 and the expected qualifier signal in the comparator ofQualifier 69. (This is a similar function to that of Qualifier 101 inFIG. 8) circuit 67 will send an enabling pulse on line 2 to AND gate 75for a length of duration equal to the size of the sector header lengthin the preferred embodiment, or at some other length sufficient to allowthe push-pull signal from Sample and Hold gate 1 (68) to pass throughSample and Hold gate 2 (77), which is limited by this pulse on line 2.Of course, AND gate 75 will be prevented from delivering an affirmativesignal on line 76 to Sample and Hold gate 2 (77) if line 78 is lowthereby indicating that the drive unit is in track seeking mode ratherthan track following mode.

Radial push-pull signal (RPP) from differential amplifier 60, issupplied to an Automatic Gain Control Circuit 62 to provide a usablesignal on line 63. Without some kind of gain control the variance in theRPP signal caused by the presence of user data areas, non-written areasof track groove and blank areas would not provide a usable signal.Therefore, in the embodiments requiring it, Automatic Gain Control (AGC)may be accomplished in a number of ways as is known in the art, but forits application to this invention several limitations must be observed.No D.C. offsets can be introduced by the AGC and the variance in inputvoltages must be handled without distortion. (These limits on AGC arenot necessary for its application to the two servo byte embodiments.) Byway of illustration only, FIG. 12 is provided, showing a circuit 300having matched pair of FETs (Field Effect Transistors) with positivevoltage input to circuit 300 at point D. It is stressed, however, thatthe form of AGC will vary considerably with the requirements of thesystem in which it is employed, but it is believed that the descriptionjust provided illustrates succinctly the best approach to the AGCproblem.

The signal on line 63, the normalized push-pull signal, is a lowfrequency signal that is held up by Sample and Hold gate 1(68) unlesscircuit 67 allows Sample and Hold gate 1(68) to open by an enablingpulse on line 1. This signal from Sample and Hold gate 1(68), ifqualified by Qualifier 69, occurs during the time of passing of a sectorheader as determined by synchronization and data demodulation logic 67.If the machine is in a track following mode this signal may then bepassed by Sample and Hold gate 2(77). That is, Sample and Hold gate2(77) is enabled by AND gate 75.

Resistors R1 and R2 can be used to adjust the signal appearing at line79 so as to compensate for voltage differences between this signal andthe signal at line 63 which may result from incomplete gainnormalization by circuit 62 and the track groove geometry. The inputsfrom lines 79 and 63 when fed into a differential amplifier 92 producethe offset corrected tracking signal on line 93. Note that a thirdSample and Hold gate, S&H 3 (in ghost), could be added as an enhancementto limit the portion of the radial push-pull signal which reaches op-amp92 on line 63. This could be used to equalize the duration of thesignals received by op-amp 92 over lines 79 and 63 by making the "passthrough" type operation of S&H 3 depend on pulses from theSynchronization and data demodulation circuitry 67. These pulses (ondotted line 4) might, for instance, be issued between written data pits.

Where the device is used to count track crossing, (during track seeking)no output is permitted through Sample and Hold gate 2 (77) and thereforeno offset occurs in differential amplifier 92. Hence, the output of thecircuit of FIG. 9's differential amplifier 92 may be used in a manneridentical to the output of amplifier 91 of FIG. 8. If synchronization iscorrect during seek, output can be permitted through Sample and Holdgate 2 (77), and the track count may still be found at the output ofdifferential amplifier 92.

To describe the finding of the tracking signal in the radial push-pullsignal from the servo byte formats described in FIGS. 4B, 4D and 4E,reference should be had to FIG. 13 and 4B. Based on either timing or thedetection of the servo pits in the first servo byte, signals S1 and S2,developed by synchronization and data demodulation circuit 320, areprovided to Sample and Hold Gates 302 and 303 respectively, so that eachmay pass that portion of the radial push-pull signal to be sampled.Sample and Hold Gate 302 will pass the portion of the radial push-pullsignal represented by the pre-groove which, for example, wouldcorrespond to the section length S1 of FIG. 4B. Sample and Hold Gate 303responding to signal S2 would pass that portion of the radial push-pullsignal representative of the blank or discontinuity portion of thesecond servo byte, by way of example section S2 in FIG. 4B. Becausethere is no indeterminate gain variance, that is, the difference in gainbetween the pre-groove area and the blank area will always besubstantially the same, a fixed gain reduction 304 may be applied to theradial push-pull signal generated by the blank area. The two sampledportions are provided as input to differential amplifier 305 generatinga corrected signal at line 306. If the proper qualifier does not appearin the data signal then signal Q1 developed by Qualifier 321 will notallow Sample and Hold Gate 307 to pass a tracking signal 308.

Note that the use of the same detector means 80, summing amplifier 61and differential amplifier 60 of FIG. 13 is similar to their use in FIG.9.

Synchronization and Data Demodulation Logic circuit 320 receives the sumsignal from summing amplified 61 and works similarly to the analagouscircuit 67 of FIG. 9, i.e. counting internal clock pulses between servoareas to provide said signals S1 and S2 and Q1 through Qualifier 321.The circuit 320 clock pulses are updated by timing pits rather than by asine wave varying floor height.

The circuit diagrams of FIGS. 8, 9 and 13 illustrate the best mode knownto the inventors herein for producing offset corrected tracking signalsfrom the preferred record media described, and all the elements includedare to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make or use theinvention. Still, they are drawn in general terms to avoid unnecessarylimitations. Note, for example, that resistors R1 and R2 of FIG. 9,which provide gain compensation, should be regarded only as an examplarycircuit element pair. Also the output of synchronization circuit 67could for example, be input to a second AND gate instead of AND gate 75and the output of AND gate 75 could also be directed to the input ofthat second AND gate and the result would produce the same signal online 76. The constraints of the particular device employed as well aslimitations of the media employed will suggest alternatives orenhancements to the circuits described without departing from the scopeof this invention.

We claim:
 1. A record carrier wherein said record carrier has aninformation layer having tracks for storage of data, each of said tracksincluding a longitudinally disposed sector, each sector having anassociated sector header and a sector data area, said sector data areahaving associated therewith at least one servo area, said tracks beingso arranged and disposed to form a diffraction grating for an incidentradiation beam, said record carrier comprising:a user area located insaid sector data area and having a first length, a first record carriermodulation means located in said servo area and having a second lengthequal to said first length, said first record carrier modulation meansincluding at least one qualifier modulation means having a combinationof pitted and unpitted areas different than that in said user data area,and a second record carrier modulation means located in said servo areaand having a third length equal to said first length, said second recordcarrier modulation means comprising at least one discontinuity extendingacross the track, and at least one non-reflective timing pit, whereinsaid discontinuity and said non-reflective timing pit are positioneddifferently from any combination of pitted and unpitted areas in saiduser data area.
 2. A record carrier, as set forth in claim 1,wherein:said information layer is a reflective surface, said diffractiongrating arrangement and disposition of said tracks comprises a trackfloor situated between lands on either side thereof, said discontinuityis a continuation of said lands across a portion of said one track thusforming a planar mirrored surface, and said first record carriermodulation means is at least one pit in said reflective surface, locateda predetermined distance from said discontinuity in each servo area. 3.A record carrier, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said sector headerfurther comprises fourth record carrier modulation means including pitsso arranged and disposed to reveal the track and sector address of saidsector header.
 4. A record carrier, as set forth in claim 2, whereinsaid qualifier modulation means comprises at least one pit located priorto said discontinuity, at a distance therefrom similar in size to thelength of said discontinuity.
 5. An optical disk reproducing systemincluding a record carrier wherein said record carrier has aninformation layer having tracks for storage of data, each of said tracksincluding a longitudinally disposed sector, each sector having anassociated sector header and a sector data area, said systemcomprising:a record carrier including a first servo portion located inthe sector data area and having a first length, and a second servoportion located in the sector data area and having a second length equalto said first length, said first servo portion having qualifiermodulation means, said qualifier modulation means including a first pit,a second pit, and a first unpitted area and said second servo portionincluding clocking modulation means, said clocking modulation meansincluding a clocking pit and a second unpitted area, said record carrierfurther including at least one user data area located in the sector dataarea and having a third length equal to said first and second lengths,wherein the positioning of said first pit, said second pit and saidfirst unpitted area in said first servo portion, and said clocking pitand said second unpitted area in said second servo portion beingdifferent from the positioning of any other combination of pitted andunpitted areas in said user data area; and means for reading saidqualifier modulation means and said clocking modulation means, saidclocking pit in said second servo portion being read by said means forreading after said first and second pits of said first servo portion,wherein a signal is generated by reading said pits that can be used as aqualifier signal of servo information read from said first and secondservo portions.
 6. A system, as claimed in claim 5, wherein:at least oneof said first and second servo portions includes a discontinuity.
 7. Asystem, as claimed in claim 6, wherein:said discontinuity provides servoinformation for at least one of the following servo operations:focusing, tracking, central aperture signal level adjustment and laserread level adjustment.
 8. A system, as claimed in claim 5, wherein:atleast one of said first and second servo portions includes a pre-groove.9. A system, as claimed in claim 5, wherein:said second portion areahaving first and second ends, and said clocking pit being located atleast three pit locations from said second end for reducing clock pull.10. A system, as claimed in claim 5, wherein:said first and second pitsare wobbled relative to the center of said track.
 11. An optical diskrecording system for providing a corrected tracking signal, comprising:arecord carrier; radiation beam means for directing a radiation beam tosaid record carrier and receiving a modulated radiation beam therefrom;first means, responsive to said modulated radiation beam, for generatinga first tracking-related signal; second means, responsive to saidmodulated radiation beam, for generating a second tracking-relatedsignal; third means, responsive to said first tracking-related signaland said second tracking-related signal, for processing said firsttracking-related signal to produce a third tracking-related signal and afourth tracking-related signal, said third means including means forproviding gain adjustment to said third tracking-related signal therebyproviding a gain adjusted third tracking-related signal; fourth means,responsive to said second tracking-related signal, for producing aqualifier signal; and fifth means, responsive to said gain adjustedthird tracking related signal and said fourth tracking-related signaland said qualifier signal for producing the corrected tracking signal.12. A system, as claimed in claim 11, wherein:said record carrierincludes a plurality of servo areas and at least one discontinuitylocated in each of said servo areas and further having at least onequalifier modulation means for use in producing said qualifier signal.13. A system, as claimed in claim 11, wherein:said first signal is aradial push-pull signal and said second signal is a central aperturesignal.
 14. An optical record carrier, comprising:a track having asector, said sector comprising:a sector header; and a sector data area,said sector data area comprising:a user data portion having a firstlength; a first servo portion having a second length equal to said firstlength of said user data portion and having a first pit, a second pitand a first unpitted area located differently from any combination ofpitted and unpitted areas in said user data portion to distinguish saidfirst servo portion from said user data portion within said sector dataarea; and a second servo portion having a third length equal to saidfirst length of said user data portion and having a third pit and asecond unpitted area located differently from any combination of pittedand unpitted areas in said user data portion to distinguish said secondservo portion from said user data portion within said sector data area.